People told us that staff were kind and supportive and understood the importance of maintaining and respecting peoples' dignity, privacy and independence. People also told us that staff provided by the agency understood how to meet the cultural needs of people they support.People confirmed that the staff respect their wishes and decisions regarding how they want their care to be delivered.
Staff we interviewed understood the issues of consent. One staff member told us, 'I make sure the client is always involved'.
People told us their care plan is reviewed on a regular basis and that any risks associated with care provision were fully explained to them.
We asked people if they could contact the service outside of office opening times. People said they could and this was not a problem as there was always someone on call.
People who use the service told us they had confidence in staff when using lifting equipment and other mobility aids.
People who use the service told us they were very happy with the staff that supported them. One person told us, 'The staff are fine'.
A recent quality audit by the agency included the following quotes, 'I get on well with my two support workers' and 'I'm happy to stay with Ntec and so are my parents'.
They said that staff were 'Flexible' and 'Reliable'. Other comments included, 'They are always on time' and 'They have never been late'.
Staff we interviewed were very positive about the training opportunities available to them through the organisation. One staff member said, 'I'm always on top of my training'. Another staff member commented, 'We get a lot of training and refresher courses'.
Staff also said they felt supported by the management through a good induction process and regular supervision.
We asked people who use the service whether their views had been sought and what they thought of the service. People told us that their views had been sought and they were happy with the quality of service provided. They told us they receive annual quality assurance questionnaires and attend regular reviews. People also told us they have regular meetings with the manager where they can discuss any issues of concern. They said the manager was very responsive about improving the quality of service provision.
People who use the service said they had no complaints about the service but knew what to do if they did. They told us that the management was open and took any concerns seriously. Comments about complaints included, 'I've had no reason to complain' and 'I am able to complain freely'.